Fred Willard completes program, avoids lewdness charge

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actor Fred Willard has completed a diversion program for his arrest this summer for a suspected lewd act at a Hollywood adult theater.

Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney’s office, said Monday that the 72-year-old comic actor completed the program in September and as a result no longer faces charges stemming from the July 18 incident.

Willard was arrested after uniformed vice officers were conducting a routine investigation of the theater and they said they saw him engaging in a lewd act.

He was fired shortly thereafter from his job narrating “Market Warriors,” which is produced by Boston public television station WGBH. His film credits include “Best in Show” and “Waiting for Guffman.”

An email message left for Willard’s agent, Mike Eisenstadt, was not immediately returned.